Dec 3, 2002

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Contents
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Quote Of The Month
Retiree Medical Accounts
Rapid Growth Seen in Voluntary Benefits Market
Persistence
The Case for Advance Directives -a free benefit that can save money

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Quote of the Month
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"Write the bad things that are done to you in sand, but
write the good things that happen to you on a piece of
marble."
-Arabic Parable

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Retiree Medical Accounts
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With an aging population, employers consider retiree medical accounts
as an alternative to traditional benefits. Employer cutbacks in retiree
health care benefits are expected to increase, a small but growing number of
companies have begun to introduce retiree medical accounts as an option according to a Watson Wyatt study. A retiree medical account (RMA), allows an employer to contribute a fixed dollar amount to an account, which the retiree uses to purchase health insurance. Contribution formulas vary, employers typically credit a fixed dollar amount for each year that the employee participates in the plan. In the Watson Wyatt sample annual credits ranged from $750 to $2,500 per year of participation. According to the study, only 2 percent of large employers have RMAs for current retirees. The Watson Wyatt report also notes that RMAs can be especially valuable to employers that have completely eliminated retiree medical coverage or their contributions toward these plans, as well as employers that have never offered a retiree medical benefit.

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Rapid Growth Seen in Voluntary Benefits Market
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http://www.insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?newsid=CpxgqWe9ymtu2mJi4nZqX
How to make the right Voluntary Benefit Choices
From Workforce online -you will need to login, but it is
free and they don't spam you. Additional bonus, Voluntary
Benefits Checklist at the bottom of the article.
http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/18/22/index.php
Alternatively, there is an easy link to learn how what to
look for from a voluntary provider. (no login required)
http://www.1st-supplemental-health-insurance.com/select.htm

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Persistence
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If at first you don't succeed...

When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at its intended
victim during a holdup in Long Beach, California, would-be
robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire
wonder: He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger
again. This time it worked.

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The Case for Advance Directives
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Does your family know your Preferences?
This is a simple benefit that every employer should offer
to his or her employees, especially younger employees who
may be faced with the challenge of making health care
decisions for an incapacitated parent. Feel free to make
this a part of your benefit package by printing this page
or post a link to the free form below to the HR section of
your web site. The employer makes no contribution –
so, they needn't amend their ERISA plan

The term Advance Directives are any wishes by a patient to
assist in the decision making process for care, should they
become unable to make decisions.

An important aspect of this program begins with an
understanding of patient preferences for care and engaging
in discussions with competent adult patients and/or their
family members or surrogates.
Advance planning protects individual autonomy and takes
steps to assure that their health and medical treatment
wishes are implemented. A well-communicated plan eliminates
difficult decisions, minimizes stress and helps create
closure.

If the questions for care are unanswered because there is no
advance directive from the patient, the hospital will nearly always
"err" on the safe side and institute life prolonging measures. Then,
all too often, the family is unprepared to make a life and death decision
for a loved one extending the hospital stay even longer with its attendant
expenses and often compounding the family's grief. with sometimes
bitter disagreements. An advance directive, especially one that is
accessible to family members in "advance," guides the decision
making and reduces family anguish.

The National Institute of Nursing Research
is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services has published a report;
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2001/ninr-15.htm

Statistics show that the majority of the population does not opt for heroic
measures. Your carrier may offer a discount to your firm if you have a plan
to offer advance directives to your employees.

Get a free Advance Directive form today.
http://www.thebenefitnetwork.com/advancedirectives.htm


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